Feeding the minds ofdiscerning music lovers

BBC Concert Orchestra

The BBC Concert Orchestra holds a wide range of events across the UK, all of which require different thinking in their advertising. We create a unique look & feel to promote each event, reflecting the themes addressed in the music and the emotions felt by the audience.

The Rest is Noise
Taking soundwaves as a graphic cue, we designed a campaign to promote a series of events at London’s Southbank Centre. Forming part of The Rest is Noise season, the concerts set out to capture the spirit of the 20th century – and how music reflected its discords, wars and revolutions.

The A6 postcards were sent to the Concert Orchestra’s mailing list and distributed at relevant events. Each one features a graphic, representing a tiny soundwave segment from a piece of music to be performed. By varying the colour palettes and carefully selecting waveforms, the images evoke the subject matter of the music.

“I think Studio Output are fabulous. They really listen, work hard at understanding the job that’s required and always deliver to the brief. They are very creative and a lot of fun to work with.”Lisa Owen-Jones, BBC Concert Orchestra

Exstatica
This concert explored the emotions associated with ecstasy. From torment to joy, the music ranged from Arnold Schoenberg’s ‘Verklärte Nacht’ to Pet Shop Boys’ ‘I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind of Thing’ arranged by Richard Niles.

In reference, the Exstatica artwork features fragments of human body parts overlaid with type, to create an abstract illustration that hints at sexual deeds. Decoding glasses were provided to mask the red pigment, strip out the typography and fully reveal the illustration. The theme continued into the concert space, with attendees invited to use their glasses to experience banners and projections translating the lyrics.

“When an organisation like the BBC Concert Orchestra puts on unusual and unexpected events, it is only right the visual collateral supports their laudable commitment to changing perceptions that still weigh down classical music … the excellent Studio Output did not disappoint with their supporting print work.”Rob Alderson, It’s Nice That

H7steria
The H7steria event delved into the depths of the human psyche – interpreting fear, anxiety and madness in an examination of hysteria. The concert included pieces exploring mental illness and losing touch with reality.

Our campaign image led the viewer to question what they see through the creation of an optical illusion, as the concentric circles appear to slowly rotate when stared at. The design was used across print and digital advertising, where where the effect was enhanced onscreen.